Food Network chef Robert Irvine takes the Zeiterion stage

Foodie fans of Chef Robert Irvine, who specializes in achieving the impossible, can see his live stage show at the Zeiterion next month.

Joanna McQuillan Weeks

Foodie fans of Chef Robert Irvine, who specializes in achieving the impossible, can see his live stage show at the Zeiterion next month.

Known for his Food Network shows "Dinner: Impossible" and "Restaurant: Impossible," among others, the chef will cook and chat real-time in "Robert Irvine Live!"

In a phone interview earlier this month, Irvine said he's been doing the live shows for going on a year-and-a-half.

"We developed them because we get a lot of email from fans," he explained, asking when they can see him in person, and bemoaning their inability to get to his restaurants.

He has two, Robert Irvine's eat! at Hilton Head, S.C., and Robert Irvine's nosh! in nearby Bluffton. Irvine says he gets back to the island to check on the restaurants every four to six weeks, and has a home there, but due to his year-round travels, doesn't get to relax there much. His wife, pro wrestler Gail Kim, who he wed in May 2012, was on the road with him when we spoke.

"Robert Irvine Live!" provides an element of surprise not only for the audience, but for the chef himself. The show is described as not merely a cooking demonstration, but a series of physical and culinary challenges. Irvine walks in "cold" to find out on the spot what the producers have cooked up for him.

He agreed with a suggestion that the show is equal parts Houdini and Escoffier. "I couldn't have said it better myself."

The chef's imposing physique is testament to the daily workouts that he said give him energy and relieve stress. "Working out is a way of life for me," Irvine said, and he makes a point of fitting it into his schedule, despite only getting three or four hours of sleep a night. In fact, he was doing the interview from a gym in Moline, Ill.

Irvine promises audience members can expect to have a lot of fun at the Zeiterion Nov. 15. "The live show is just hilarious," he said, and the Z crowd will be seeing a brand-new version, "more upbeat, I believe."

There's audience participation, with fans coming onstage to act as sous chefs, tossing out questions and suggestions. After the show, there will be a meet-and-greet and a chance to pose for photos with him, Irvine said.

Net proceeds from merchandise that will be on sale, such as aprons and knives, goes to the Gary Sinise Foundation, which helps military, first responders and their families. "We're all about our wounded warriors and active duty" service persons, Irvine said.

Just one example of the British Royal Navy veteran's involvement was preparing a barbecue for 7,000 at the Invincible Spirit Festival that the Sinise foundation held at Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Va., on Sept. 11, now known as Patriot Day. Irvine expressed thanks to SYSCO for providing all the food for this and other charity events.

Working with the "CSI: New York" actor, who he calls "a very, very good friend," Irvine travels around the country and beyond doing events to boost the spirits of military personnel. "I just came back from Afghanistan nine weeks ago," where, he said, he went to visit the troops.

Another of his ventures that also consigns a portion of proceeds to charity is a new line of FortiFX Fit Crunch protein bars, available on bodybuilding.com, and starting Friday, at GNC stores.

"If we use our blessings for someone less fortunate at least one time a day, we're fit to breathe on this planet," remarked Irvine.

The newest show in Irvine's lineup debuts Sunday on the Food Network.

In "Restaurant Express," his mission is to find the most promising budding entrepreneur among a crop of hopefuls. "We've got some chefs, we've got some mums, and they have a dream," Irvine said.

On the show, nine finalists attempt to survive a culinary road trip across the West by proving not only their culinary chops, but also their business savvy mindset. Week-by-week, the contestants have to demonstrate their staying power and impress Irvine by excelling in his demanding challenges.

The last one still on the bus will earn the title of executive chef and a leadership position at the flagship restaurant of The M Resort, Spa and Casino in Las Vegas — "the dream of a lifetime," as Irvine described it.

The show premieres at 9 p.m. Sunday.

As for "Restaurant: Impossible," Irvine said he has a 82 percent success rate in helping failing eateries find new life with an allowance of two days and $10,000.

What's the nastiest thing he's ever found under a stove in one of these struggling restaurants?

"I have found 13 mice, cockroaches ... living parasites. I have found cockroaches in ice," Irvine recounted. He called ice machines one of the biggest problems in restaurants; he actually has found mold in ice cubes.

It's enough to make a diner stick with bottled beverages.

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Following are a pair of recipes from Chef Irvine's web site to try.

Chicken with Boursin Wrapped in Prosciutto

Makes 18 appetizers

Adapted from chefirvine.com

Total time: 40 minutes

6 boneless chicken breasts, each cut lengthwise into 3

(1 1/2-inch) wide strips

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 small wheel herb cheese (about 5 ounces; recommended: Boursin)

18 slices prosciutto, thinly sliced

Special equipment: Bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes before using

Total time: 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Season chicken with pepper and garlic powder. Weave a bamboo skewer through the length of each chicken strip (as you would run a straight pin through fabric). Divide the cheese into even amounts for the chicken strips and spread on the surface of the chicken. Then wrap each chicken strip with a slice of the prosciutto and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes until done.

Shrimp and Scallops in Garlic Cream Sauce

Makes eight servings. Adapted from chefirvine.com

Time: 45 minutes

1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 shallots, chopped

2 cups white wine

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves, plus sprigs for garnish

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 pounds (20/30 per pound count) sea scallops

1 1/2 pounds (16/20 per pound count) shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails left on

1 1/2 to 2 pounds cooked pasta or rice, for an accompaniment

1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano

Special equipment: A fine-mesh strainer

In a large saute pan, heat 1/4 cup oil. Add garlic and shallots and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine, add parsley, basil and thyme, and let the liquid reduce by half. Using a fine strainer, strain the reduction into a clean saucepan and add the cream. Over low heat, let the sauce reduce to medium thickness. To the now empty saute pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute scallops, cooking until opaque, and remove to a utility platter in a warm place. Then use the same pan to saute shrimp just until pink, and remove to the utility platter. Add cream sauce to saute pan along with seafood (reserve a few scallops and shrimp for the top), and toss together with the drained pasta or cooked rice. Transfer to a serving dish, and sprinkle with cheese, as garnish. Arrange shrimp and scallops on top, and garnish with basil sprigs.

Joanna McQuillan Weeks is food editor of The Standard-Times. Contact her at jweeks@s-t.com

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